A
rising from the constraints of a modest site and budget, Grey
Street House by Local Architecture celebrates the beauty of
humble materials and the legacy and process of making.
Sitting respectfully behind an established heritage house
just two hundred metres from Success Boat Harbour in Western
Australia, the 170-square-metre dwelling addresses issues of priv-
acy, access and planning to deliver a comfortable family home that
nurtures the daily rituals of living.
The footprint of the home was informed by the prevailing
conditions of the 250-square-metre site, including narrow right-
of-way access, a tight vehicle turning radius, boundary and shading
setbacks and an existing sewer easement. Architect Natalie Miller
considered the available volume and how it could be manipulated
to adhere to height restrictions and maximize solar performance
while maintaining privacy and sunlight for neighbours. This
spatial problem-solving resulted in a striking rectilinear form with
a pitched roof, interspersed with openings that carefully balance
proportion, orientation and location to draw in light.
A low-maintenance material with resilience against salt-
laden coastal winds was sought, and red brick was nominated as
the principal building material early on. A substantial insulated
cavity in the building envelope conceals all structure and services
and delivers excellent acoustic performance and thermal com-
fort. Following an extensive survey of Fremantle’s brick palette
02 Vertical subway tiling
and a stone benchtop
bring a refined quality
to the restrained kitchen.and textures, Natalie played on traditional Flemish bond brick
patterning to make a contemporary contribution to the legacy of
brick construction in the area. “The header course is either flush
within the bond pattern, removed to make the brick screen or in
relief to make the highly textured facade that changes throughout
each day,” Natalie explains.
A brick planter and letterbox provide an offering to the street
and act as a beacon for locating the house behind. Visitors are led
to a recycled steel gate, where a large brick planter and perforated
brick screen mediate the transition to the north-facing jarrah deck
and garden – the entry to the house. An excavated alcove provides
shading along the northern edge and is treated as a blackened
threshold to the living and dining areas. The absence of a traditional
front door allows visitors to step directly into the heart of the house,
imparting a sense of informality and familiarity that sets the tone
for the project.
Internally, program spaces are strategically arranged around a
central stair. The kitchen, living and dining spaces face north and are
directly connected to the entry deck and garden. A sixty-five-year-
old olive tree that was relocated to the north-west corner provides
an abundance of shade from the hot afternoon sun and a brick
barbecue area offers a robust plinth for cooking and entertaining.
The house’s burnished concrete floors and white-painted brick
walls provide a neutral and tactile base palette for the interior.02